Angel Di Maria didn't let his Real Madrid ties get in the way of wanting to move to Barcelona in the summer.

The Argentina winger played at the Bernabeu for four years before an ill-fated spell at Manchester United in the 2014/15 season, and he's revealed that he was desperate to switch to Real's deadly rivals following the arrival of Neymar in Paris.

The winger has also claimed that there would only be one club on the planet he wouldn't play for - the rivals of his boyhood heroes Rosario.

Di Maria has stayed at PSG, but struggled for game-time (Image: AFP/Getty Images)

He won the Champions League with Real in 2014 (Image: Angel Martinez/Real Madrid via Getty Images)

"I was close to joining Barcelona in the summer and yet far away at the same time," he told ESPN.

"It is hard to complete moves to these clubs. I never lost hope of it going through but in the end, it didn't happen.

"My Madrid past wouldn't have been an issue as I'm not a Madrid fan and I always point that out whenever I'm asked about it.

"I'm a fan of Rosario and I would never play for Newell's Old Boys but aside from that, I would play anywhere."

Neymar's world record move was completed in August (Image: REUTERS)

After failing to secure his move, Di Maria has been struggling for minutes on the pitch this season as he competes with Neymar, Kylian Mbappe and Edinson Cavani.

Barca instead turned to Ousmane Dembele to replace Neymar, although the Frenchman has missed much of the season through injury.